Ultimate Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook

by David Borgenicht

  Many species of scorpions will readily enter homes and other buildings, which increases the likelihood of an encounter. Scorpions will sting if surprised or threatened, but generally will not sting if unprovoked.

  Scorpions cannot usually deliver enough venom to kill a healthy adult. While venom toxicity varies among species, some scorpions contain very powerful neurotoxins, which, ounce for ounce, are more toxic to humans than the venom of cobras. However, scorpions inject relatively small amounts of venom (compared with snakes), so the overall dose of toxins per sting is survivable.

  HOW TO SURVIVE A COCKROACH INFESTATION

  1 Rid your kitchen of any food residue.

  Thoroughly scour the kitchen counters, dining table, stovetops, and any other areas where food is prepared or consumed. Remove all food from the kitchen, and clean inside all cabinets and drawers. Empty, rinse, and scrub every trash can. Clean the refrigerator inside and out, the underside of the microwave, and the crumb tray of the toaster.

  2 Clean the rest of your apartment or house.

  Pull out sofa pillows and vacuum any crumbs using a crack-and-crevice attachment; roll up all carpets and sweep and mop the floor underneath.

  3 Dry out your apartment.

  Look for puddles underneath the sink, around the base of the bathtub, and next to the toilet. At each sink, turn on both taps, and as the water is running, examine the base of the faucet, the tap handle, and the underside of the sink. Tighten the joints and recaulk any areas of seepage. Repeat this procedure with the taps in the bath.

  Signs of a Roach Infestation

  Roach droppings Small clusters of black, ridged pellets measuring 1/8 inch.

  Gastrointestinal problems Potential ailments include diarrhea, vomiting, and dysentery. Caused by organisms transferred from the arms and legs of cockroaches onto food and utensils.

  Allergic responses Symptoms include watery eyes, skin rashes, sneezing, and congested nasal passages. Caused by the presence of roach droppings and molted roach skin in the air.

  Cockroach sightings The most common cockroach in New York is the German cockroach, which is a tan or light brown winged insect, measuring from half an inch to an inch, with two dark streaks down its back. You may find roaches in the following places:

  • The kitchen or any area with abundant food

  • The bathroom or anywhere there is standing water

  • In or near the garbage or recycling

  Eat out instead of cooking in your home.

  4 Eliminate roach hideouts.

  Get down on all fours and crawl from room to room, carefully examining each pantry, closet, drawer, and cupboard. Destroy any potential roach hiding places, such as bags stuffed with other bags, piles of old magazines, or cardboard boxes waiting to be recycled. Open old boxes, take out their contents, flatten the cardboard, and remove from your apartment.

  5 Place “sticky traps” in 10 sites around your apartment. Position “sticky traps” throughout the apartment. Place each trap against a wall or corner, under a sink, or along the baseboards.

  6 Monitor the traps.

  Carefully note the number of dead roaches in each trap to determine where in your apartment the roaches are most prevalent.

  7 Kill the roaches with borax.

  Mix 4 parts borax with 2 parts f lour and 1 part cocoa powder. Sprinkle liberally in roach-heavy areas of your apartment.

  8 Maintain a clean, dry apartment.

  After each meal, thoroughly clean the areas where food was cooked and consumed. Store all food in sealed containers. Do all dishes immediately. Take out any garbage and recycling at least once a day. Make sure to immediately clean up any water spills and repair leaky faucets. Whenever possible, eat out instead of cooking in your home; do not bring home leftovers.

  9 Persuade your neighbors to keep equally clean.

  WARNING!

  Read the sticky trap instructions carefully, especially if you have pets and/or children.

  HOW TO ESCAPE FROM FIRE ANTS

  1 Brush the ants off.

  Fire ants inject venom from a stinger connected to a poison gland. A single ant will pinch the skin with its jaws and sting numerous times, injecting more venom with each sting. As the venom enters the skin, you will experience the intense, burning sensation that gives fire ants their name. Using your hand or a cloth, make a fast, sharp, brushing motion until their jaws dislodge from the skin and they fall off. Jumping up and down, shaking the affected area, and placing the ants under running water will not prevent the ants from attacking and may cause further injury.

  2 Run from the area.

  As you remove the ants, flee the area of the attack. When a mound or nest is disturbed, or foraging fire ants are encountered, they immediately climb up any vertical surface and sting. Hundreds of ants may attack within seconds, especially in mild to high temperatures, when ants stay closer to the surface. The ants will continue to attack even after you have left the nest area, however. Continue brushing them as you run.

  3 Remove your clothing.

  Fire ants will stay in the creases of clothing and may sting later. Once you have reached safety and removed all visible ants, take off your shoes, socks, pants, and any other articles of clothing where the ants were visible. Inspect your clothes carefully, especially the pockets and seams, before putting them back on. If possible, launder the items before wearing them again.

  4 Treat the affected area.

  After several minutes, the site of each bite will redden and swell into a bump. A topical antihistamine may relieve some itching at bite sites. Several hours to several days later, the bumps will become white, fluid-filled pustules, which will last for several days or, in some cases, weeks. Immediately upon the appearance of pustules, treat the affected areas with a solution of half bleach, half water to lessen pain and reduce itching. Use an over-the-counter pain medication to reduce discomfort. Pustules will form regardless of topical treatment. If pustules break, treat with a topical antibacterial ointment to prevent infection. Pustules may leave scars.

  5 Monitor symptoms.

  Even a healthy adult may have a severe reaction to hundreds of stings, and people with certain allergies may develop serious complications. Watch for severe chest pain, nausea, severe sweating, loss of breath, severe swelling of limbs, and slurred speech. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these symptoms are present. In highly allergic people, anaphylaxis may occur from fire ant stings. Administer epinephrine immediately.

  Dangerous Forest Insects

  SPECIES: Bullet ants

  RANGE: Atlantic Coast, South and Central America

  WEAPONRY: One of the most powerful insect venoms on earth

  PAIN: Likened to a three-inch nail in the foot

  SPECIES: Jack jumper ants

  RANGE: Australia, Tasmania

  WEAPONRY: Stings that can trigger allergic reactions, sometimes fatally

  PAIN: Pain, local swelling can last for days

  SPECIES: Wheel bug

  RANGE: United States, especially Florida

  WEAPONRY: 8 to 12 teeth can cause a skin wound lasting one year

  PAIN: Burning and numbness

  SPECIES: Killer bees

  RANGE: South and Central America, southern United States

  WEAPONRY: Swarms attack humans with multiple stings, potentially causing death

  PAIN: Localized itching and swelling

  SPECIES: Deer ticks

  RANGE: Northeastern United States

  WEAPONRY: Bites can spread Lyme disease

  PAIN: No pain

  2

  Critical Conditions

  LIFE AND LIMB

  AILMENTS

  * * *

  * * *

  HOW TO TREAT POISON IVY, POISON OAK, AND POISON SUMAC

  1 Wash the exposed area of skin.

  Immediately wash the contaminated area with large amounts of running water.

  2 Wash shoes, socks, pants, gloves, and golf clubs immediately.


  Urushiol oil, which causes the rash, can stay active on objects for up to a year. Dilute the oil by washing equipment with lots of water. Slosh rubbing alcohol over exposed skin (except on the face) and rinse with water. (Carry a jar containing rubbing alcohol and a small cloth.) Rubbing alcohol neutralizes the oil.

  3 Do not scratch the rash.

  A rash usually develops a few hours to a few days after exposure. It will start with an itch accompanied by a light rash that continually becomes more intense and eventually blisters. Excessive and continual scratching can lead to neural dermatitis (persistent itch) that can continue even after the reaction has stopped. The total reaction usually lasts two weeks or less. If the itch is intolerable, seek medical assistance.

  4 To reduce itching, run hot water over the rash or blister area.

  Gradually increase the temperature of the water (be careful not to burn yourself). Let the water run hot until you feel bursts of relief from the area, which may take five minutes or more. Hot water helps to release histamines from the skin. This method can relieve itching for eight hours or more. Warm or cold packs and calamine lotion can also reduce itching. Prescription cortisone cream is many times the strength of over-the-counter cortisone cream and can be used for severe itching.

  Treating Migraines

  The symptoms of a migraine headache can include throbbing in one part of the head, nausea, vomiting, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, and pain lasting up to several days. Migraines can be triggered by alcohol, smoking or exposure to smoke, stress, too much or too little sleep, bright lights, too much or too little caffeine, exercise, odors or perfumes, birth control pills, skipping meals, loud noises, dehydration, allergic reactions, and changes in hormonal levels. Food-related triggers may include, among others, chocolate, dairy products, monosodium glutamate (MSG), baked goods, pickled or marinated foods, fruits (avocado, banana, citrus), nuts, onions, meats containing nitrates (bacon, hot dogs, salami), and peanut butter.

  Poison ivy

  Poison oak

  Poison sumac

  WARNING!

  Poison ivy and oak thrive in disturbed ground, such as land molded and shaped for golf courses; be sure to ask if it is present on the course before beginning your round. Size and appearance of poison ivy and oak varies with habitat. Poison sumac is fairly rare and limited to deep swamps. Its leaflets can be two to eight inches long, and the plants can be six inches high, or can vine to the top of a 20-foot-tall tree. All three plants contain urushiol.

  Poison ivy and poison oak grow in all areas of the United States except for southwestern deserts and mountain elevations above 4,000 feet.

  Even when leaves are not present, the stems, berries, and roots of the plants still contain the oil and should be avoided.

  To prevent exposure, wear shoes and socks and long pants, not shorts.

  HOW TO TREAT SUNBURN

  1 Remove the clothing around the affected area. Do not apply any suntan lotion to the burn.

  Clothing irritates the skin, and the lotion will only prevent the skin from getting much-needed exposure to the cooling air.

  2 Put a cool compress on the sunburn.

  Soak your shirt or another available cloth in cold water and apply it to the affected area. If the burn is especially bad, wrap the shirt around an ice pack and use it as a compress. A bedsheet soaked in ice water is also effective if the burn area is very large.

  3 Drink three to six ounces of water.

  Drinking water will prevent dehydration and help to cool the skin by promoting sweating.

  4 Apply a soothing gel or ointment to the sunburn.

  Aloe lotion is ideal. You can refrigerate it first so that it feels cool to the skin.

  5 Take a pain pill and lie still.

  Ibuprofen will help alleviate the pain around the sunburn. Lie in a position that exposes the affected area to the air.

  6 Seek medical attention if your symptoms are serious.

  Dizziness, sensitivity to light, quick pulse or rapid breathing, clammy skin, rash, fever, chills, and nausea are all symptoms that could point to something worse than a mild sunburn. If you experience these symptoms, call a doctor.

  WARNING!

  Always use sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher. Apply it approximately three minutes before going out into the sun.

  Avoid exposure in the late morning and early afternoon, when the sun is at its hottest. Bear in mind that the rays of the sun are stronger near the equator and at high altitudes.

  Lengthy exposure to the sun can cause not only sunburn but also heat exhaustion, a fairly mild illness. More serious is heatstroke, which can be fatal. Symptoms of both conditions include fever and sweating, but mental confusion is a sign that the heat exhaustion has progressed to heatstroke.

  A new layer of skin will replace the sunburned skin in as little as two days or as long as two weeks, depending upon the severity of the burn.

  HOW TO DEAL WITH INSOMNIA

  Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol.

  Stretch or do light exercise an hour before bed.

  A gentle workout relaxes muscle tension.

  Take a warm bath.

  Eat a bedtime snack.

  Drink warm milk or herbal tea.

  Cover illuminated clocks.

  Lie on your back, rub your stomach, flex your toes.

  Think pleasant thoughts.

  Count sheep.

  How to Cure Hiccups

  Fill a tall glass with water. Holding the glass in front of you, lean forward over the glass so that your mouth is on the rim farthest away from you. Tilt the glass so that the bottom moves toward you and the top away from you; drink the water as it moves toward the front of the glass.

  FITNESS

  * * *

  * * *

  Admit that you have a problem.

  HOW TO TREAT A GYM ADDICTION

  1 Examine your behavior.

  Do you work out multiple times a day?

  Do you show up at the gym when you know it is not open?

  Do fellow gym-goers think you are an employee of the gym?

  Have you ever lied to family members or friends about the amount of time you spend at the gym?

  Do you have designated equipment that no one else is allowed to use?

  Do you consistently and repeatedly exceed the time limit on the treadmill?

  Does the thought of your gym closing for a holiday ter-rify you?

  2 Admit that you have a problem and that you need help.

  Realize that you are not responsible for your disease—but you are responsible for your recovery. Make recovery a priority.

  3 Admit to one other person that you have a problem.

  This person will help you wean yourself off the gym. This person should not work at the gym.

  4 Reduce the amount of time you spend at the gym.

  Replace your gym time with other activities to take your mind off the withdrawal you may experience. Make it a point to engage in activities that do not involve exercise. Read a magazine, go to the movies, or take a nap.

  5 Watch yourself carefully and be willing to forgive a relapse.

  Be prepared to relapse, which is a common occurrence on the road to recovery. If you fall back into your old gym habits, admit it to yourself and seek out others for support.

  6 Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

  Consult a therapist. Form a support group for other exercise addicts.

  7 Remember that no one is perfect.

  Seek the ability to change the things you can and to accept the things you cannot change.

  WARNING!

  Replacing gym habits with workouts at home is a sign of addiction, not a step to recovery.

  WORKOUT INJURIES

  Trapped under a barbell

  Yell “Spot! Spot!” to get the attention of others who can lift the barbell off of you. If you can move, carefully slide your body so the weight is supported by your hands above your chest, rath
er than over your head, neck, or abdomen.

  The R.I.C.E. treatment for shin splints

  REST the legs by avoiding jogging.

  ICE the shins for 15 minutes several times each day.

  COMPRESS the shins with a bandage to reduce swelling.

  ELEVATE the legs above the head.

  Blister

  Sterilize a needle by dipping it in rubbing alcohol or holding it over a match for several seconds, until red-hot.

  Out-of-Control Treadmill

  Sprint a step faster and lunge for the “kill switch” or yank the red power “key” from its socket on the control panel. If you cannot reach the control panel, keep pace as best you can and call for help.

  Holding the needle parallel to the skin, puncture the blister at its edge. Apply gentle pressure to squeeze out the fluid, then cover the blister completely with a bandage.

  Athlete’s foot

  Soak your feet in a solution of warm water and 1 tablespoon of tea tree oil three times per day until the condition disappears. Wear absorbent socks made from natural fibers, and change immediately if the socks become damp. Remove shoe insoles and allow them to dry overnight, and dust the insides of shoes with talcum powder.